here’s quite a bit of press paid to the quirky perks of startup offices. From ping pong tables to beer kegs to pet-friendly work spaces, sometimes it seems like offices are more into having fun than getting work done. But employees who are healthy and appreciated are going to be more inspired, more creative, and more productive.

In order to stay ahead in this competitive industry, startups need team members who have drive, stamina, and, most importantly, a constant stream of creativity. And it takes a lot more to inspire creativity than just a laptop. It takes a culture of support, trust, and, yes, a few extra perks, to bring out the best in employees.

Put people first.

At Xivic, we never underestimate the importance of a strong, positive workplace culture, and we see the benefits of our efforts in the variables and outputs from our employees. We consider the maintenance of our company culture to be a task worthy of our full-time attention. It’s easy to push culture aside when the projects and deadlines are piling up, but without it, you’re not inspiring creativity or accountability, and you’re not going to be producing the best work possible. We’re constantly asking individuals what kind of output and feedback they’re getting and updating our plans based on what they have to say.

We have two offices—one in Los Angeles, and the other in Romania—and we go to great lengths to keep both offices informed and in communication. Our employees are brilliant thought leaders who not only work together, but also genuinely like each other. The community is formed with a clear understanding of everyone’s roles and how these roles should work together. We’re all on the same page. It’s important for all employees to be aware of what everyone else is doing, learn about each other’s tasks, and think holistically about projects. For companies who are just learning to implement this, I suggest starting small. Try to get people within individual departments to work together on one task, and then start expanding to other departments. It’s always easier to collaborate within a department and then grow from there.